Snow Pieces
by Pen of Silver
Summary: In which a heiress wanders and a faunus wonders. Monochrome.


Snow Pieces

~ In which an heiress wanders and a faunus wonders.

* * *

It was days like these, when the sun fell from the sky far too early, when the night crept in like an uninvited guest, that Weiss regretted coming to Beacon. It was a sharp contrast to her youth, when finals were a thing only spoken off in letters from an older sister, and she frolicked aimlessly around in her father's summer home in Patch.

But that was then, when chains were disguised in the form of pretty necklaces and strained smiles.

Weiss took in a deep breath, full of that bitter drug called freedom, and set off into the cold Vale night. Yang had taken Ruby on one of her night time jaunts and Blake had melted into the night with a tersely worded note about heading off to a book store.

That left her alone.

She had never done well alone, she had spent far too much time in its callous hands in her youth, asked far too many unanswered questions to its lipless face, and tried running from its piercing gaze only to fall flat and retreat into its familiar but cold arms.

And so Weiss decided to walk off into the city, where thousands would recognize her name (or hopefully not), and mingle with the faceless crowd.

The airship ride was brief, a small snippet of music playing over the inercom slicing the time, and she step off the airship to downtown vale with a murmured word of thanks to the operator.

The central plaza was lively, festive lights casting innumerable multicolored shadows across the pavement, and thankfully no one seemed to notice the head of snow white hair when the ground was spread with a carpet of the same hue.

Weiss loved winter, even when the person wasn't here to keep the world at bay with a steely gaze, the season hid her just as well.

She was one girl among thousands, here to watch the lights and marvel at the sky.

Alone.

* * *

Yang did always find the time of winter unusually cathartic, it certainly meant that far more people sought ought her presence if not for her jovial personality then for the searing aura of heat that crowned her like summer's monarch.

Yang slammed back another glass of whatever wonderful concoction that Junior had cooked up. It was a good time to be in Junior's club. The heavyset man had a simple policy during the festive season: don't cause trouble and the tickets in are free.

It seemed that even criminals knew how to celebrate Yang observed, watching the red sunglasses of Junior's gang mingle with the usual patron's of Junior's bar. Beside her Ruby was busy marveling at the peppermint hot coco that Junior had set down in front of her. When Yang had moved to pay, Junior had affixed her with a single black eye before rumbling something about how kids were on the house.

It seemed the tough guy had a soft spot for children.

Yang laughed a little at the thought before turning around to observe the crowd. The music was good, as usual, but there was something just lighter in the air. Yang breathed in the scent of mint and holly, a welcome substitute for the usual stench of sweat and alcohol before moving onto the dance floor.

She yelled something back to Ruby, something about keeping out of trouble, before she let the music take her.

Surrounded by her enemies, degenerates, lowlifes, and criminals alike, Yang laughed loudly and freely to the world.

It was the holiday season after all.

* * *

Blake sighed deeply as she curled up onto the couch, burying her face into a book and tuning out the cheery holiday music. It had been a long time since she had been to a good bookstore, her time had been cut rather short ever since the debacle with Torchwick started.

Blake let her eyes drowsily wander the pages as she watched the words weave worlds of unimaginable wonder. Books truly were wonderful.

After an hour or so through the book, Blake had finished about half of the novel before the shopkeeper apologetically announced that he needed time to prepare for the festivities tomorrow. Blake had nodded, paid for her book, and left the store.

The cool air was pleasantly bracing as she melded with the crowd. It was always a comfort to be with the crowd, her white and black attire drawing no attention and her bow and amber eyes only one feature among thousands.

A flake of snow settled easily upon her ears as she aimlessly browsed the square. It wasn't like there was anything especially eye catching about the place and Blake couldn't help but grimly remember how the Schnee Dust Company always had the highest volumes of dust moving on the holiday season. Snow no longer looked pretty when it shone red instead of white.

Blake sighed eyes roving past a sea of blonde, black, brunette, and white hair. People always looked different on the holidays, a red earring here, a festive sweatshirt there, but the core parts of a person never changed.

Wait. White hair?

Blake's eyes searched the crowd until she found that same head of white hair, characteristic of only one family in the world.

Weiss was browsing the stalls along the side of the square, moving slowly from stall to stall as she looked at the holiday themed gimmicks spread across the place. A small smile spread across her face as she saw some bauble that caught her eye.

It was a little sad to think about how rare that smile was.

But how wondrous it was to see such an expression here, in the middle of a city, where they had a ghost of a chance of meeting. Blake smiled quietly to herself and took a step away, she was a faunus and Weiss was the Schnee heiress.

And her smile was beautiful.

* * *

The air was chilly, an edge of ice cutting in the wind.

But that did little to diminish the festive air, it swirled like some living entity around her and Weiss laughed as she sampled the peppermint tang singing through the air. She was no one in a horde of people, and for the first time she didn't mind getting slush sprayed across her skirt or having to crane around people for a proper look at whatever new event was showing in the square.

It had been a reenactment of popular festive folk tales before, but now it seemed to be a live music festival, and the sounds of festive music flowed elegantly through the air. Weiss nodded and spun quickly around to move back through the crowd. It was getting late, and she certainly didn't want to be locked out of Beacon after curfew.

A flash of black caught her eye, the flare of a black ribbon, before the figure vanished down some misbegotten alley.

 _Blake?_

Without giving thought, Weiss pursued the figure, pounding down the flagstones as she slipped into the same alley.

Why would Blake be _here_ of all places?

Was she visiting a bookstore?

Did she lie and was she meeting up with Sun and Neptune?

Or had Blake come looking for her?

Whatever it was, she intended to ask.

Weiss skidded sharply around a corner, eyes blazing and ready.

"Bla-"

Weiss choked off her exclamation as she rounded the corner to see a young teenage girl with a black ribbon tied around her forearm lean back away from presumably her boyfriend in shock.

"Can't a guy ask for a little privacy here!?" The man said exasperatedly, turning to look at Weiss.

His eyes widened in a fashion that almost seemed comical.

"Hey aren't you Wei-"

"Sorry about interrupting," Weiss said curtly, promptly turning and leaving back the way she had come. Burning with something akin to embarrassment, Weiss briefly entertained the thought of sealing the corridor off with her ice before casting away the thought.

It was just a little childish, not to mention it was the holidays.

There was no reason to ruin the night for two other people merely because one of her teammates didn't come looking after her.

That was just fine with her.

Weiss exited the alley with a huff before storming into the crowd without a care. The crowd parted before her, although whether it was because of her last name or her demeanor she didn't know, or care really. In retrospect, it was almost amusing how the crowd split like an oyster to reveal the black pearl hidden within.

Blake was casually sipping coffee on one of the street side cafes, looking like she hadn't a care in the world as she watched the twinkling holiday lights. Of course, there was a novel in her hand.

There was a brief lull in the chatter of the crowd, like the whole world was holding its breath for one single moment.

"BLAKE BELLADONNA!" Weiss shrieked, her voice almost what one would consider a howl, something like relief running through her veins.

Blake flinched, the tips of her bow shooting up to the skies as she pivoted around to look for the source of the sound.

"Weiss?" Blake murmured curiously, eyes somewhat confused as she watched the heiress stalk up to her table.

"Blake," Weiss said flatly, eyes searing blue flames as she stared down at the faunus.

"Yes?" Blake asked nervously, fingers absently running over the cover of her novel.

"Buy me a coffee," Weiss said, sitting down at the table with a huff.

"Bu-"

"Coffee Blake," Weiss snapped, voice brokering no argument.

Looking more confused than ever, Blake mutely obeyed, the quiet jingle of the door to the coffee shop signaling Blake's acquiescence.

Weiss sighed and stared at the sky, watching as flakes of snow lazily drifted down from the heavens. It was impressive that the café even offered open air seating at a time like this, although she supposed that the dust warmed braziers at the foot of ever table helped.

She felt much disoriented at the moment.

Why had she ordered Blake to get her a coffee again?

Right, she had been somewhat annoyed that she had chased after someone who she had thought was Blake, but had turned out to be a girl and her boyfriend kissing in the alley. Suddenly all of her rage made a little more sense.

Weiss let out a sigh, one that was unnaturally large for someone who was supposed to be a teenager in the prime of their youth. She watched the lights.

The proud logo of the Schnee Dust Company blazed at her from the night, like a thousand and one burning stars. She wondered how her father was faring, spending his first holidays away from his daughters. Did he even care? He would likely be working, like he always did.

Not that she cared or anything.

But at the very least she could feel sorry for the man.

No one deserved to be alone.

* * *

It was somewhat impressive that Yang was still standing after imbibing a couple of Junior's holiday specials. She had tried to drunkenly ask him what exactly he put into the cocktail. Junior had just laughed and slammed another glass in front of her.

Someone had sat in the seat next to her. She wasn't exactly sure who they were, but they were probably less important than whatever magical concoction Junior had just placed in front of her.

Yang wasn't even curious when Junior loaded a glass with what looked to be just cream and sugar and gave it to the person next to her.

It was only when said person began making very exaggerated taps on the bar counter did Yang finally glance over, mouth open to curse out whatever stupid lackey had thought messing with Yang Xiao Long was a good idea.

Tri-colored hair, Strawberry pink, white, and mocha brown, greeted her along with mismatched eyes.

Neo cheerily waved hello, a jaunty smile on her lips.

"What are you doing here?" Yang asked finally, her mind suddenly clear.

She was just aware of Junior thumbing the handle of his baseball bat behind the bar, and the sudden spike of attention as every crook in the bar thumbed the holster of whatever firearm they had sequestered in their suit jackets.

Neo absently leaned against her hand, casually pointing toward the liquid diabetes in her glass in lieu of an actual answer.

"Man, you really do like sugar huh?" Yang stated.

Neo rolled her eyes. Somewhere in the back of Yang's mind she felt like she was being mocked.

Yang chuckled and motioned to Junior for another round.

"And whatever ice cream's drinking," Yang added as an afterthought.

She could almost feel the whole bar relax.

The music started up again, livelier than ever.

"So what does a gal do for fun in a place like this?" Yang asked Neo curiously.

Neo smirked, sipping at the new sugary monstrosity Junior had placed in front of her. After a moment of thought, eyes flickering between white and pink, Neo pulled Yang from her seat and tugged her merrily into the darkened corners of the club.

Yang felt herself get pinned to the brick walls. She stared up curiously at Neo, wondering belatedly if she was about to get skewered by the sword in the parasol that Neo carried with her. Neo thumbed the hilt of her parasol before casting the implement aside and pushed Yang onto a plush cushion.

With a happy thud Neo plopped herself on top of Yang, getting comfortable.

"Alrighty then," Yang said with a shrug. Thankfully Neo weighed exactly as much as she looked so Yang didn't mind the weight. Instead she noticed the cloud of vanilla and strawberry that surrounded Neo, the scent of pastries fresh out of the oven.

It was cloying and somewhat cute, far too innocent for a hired assassin/criminal.

"Ya know, you're actually kinda cute when you're not trying to kill me," Yang said offhandedly.

Neo tilted her head, lips curled in a way that seemed to signify her amused thanks, drumming her legs in such a way that pleasantly tickled her sides.

"Stop," Yang said blearily, swatting at Neo above her.

Neo smiled, lips open as if to laugh, even if no sound came out.

"Yeah yeah, at least one of us is having fun," Yang said, eyes roving over the crowd.

She supposed she should look for Ruby sometime soon.

* * *

"Hi, one white chocolate latte please," Blake asked politely, nervously flicking her ears as she ordered a coffee for Weiss. She wasn't sure what specific type of coffee that Weiss wanted but she decided that it would be probably better to be sweet than sorry.

"Alright. You sure you didn't want the plain black like you last ordered?" The barista asked curiously as she started the milk frothing machine.

"It's for a friend," Blake said with a strained smile.

"A friend?" The barista said, "How long have you two been ah, "friends"?"

The question was accompanied by a mischievous twinkle in her eyes and a not so subtle wagging of the eyebrows.

Blake felt her face heat up.

"Ah, not that type of friends," Blake said with a forced laugh, "We're actually just school mates."

Who happened to eat, sleep, and fight together but she didn't need to know that.

"Oh well here's your drink," The barista said, "Hope things go well with your, ah, friend."

"Thanks," Blake said lamely, accepting the cup and making her way outside.

The cold was pleasantly bracing and Blake made her way to the table where Weiss was sitting. The heiress was regarding the lights with a casualness that Blake assumed came from there being far more impressive lights at the Schnee Manor. Nonetheless, the heiress looked notably more relaxed than she had been moments ago, her eyes were clear and her posture was a little more slack then formality demanded.

"I hope you like white chocolate lattes," Blake said calmly, placing the cup in front of the heiress.

Weiss said, with a bit of an amused smile, "And what if I said I didn't?"

"Then you should go order your own coffee," Blake replied blithely. "I'm still waiting for an explanation about why exactly you're here in the city and why you just made me buy you a coffee by the way."

Weiss had the grace to look a little flustered as she took a long draught from her coffee cup.

"I… just wanted to see the lights," Weiss said simply.

Blake shook her head before saying, a touch of exasperation in her voice, "And didn't Beacon have pleasant enough lights for Weiss Schnee? Sure the lack of _this._ "

Blake made a wave at the bustling street and the horde of people in the square.

"Would have been enough to keep you at Beacon."

Weiss shrugged, "I just…"

The sentence trailed off into the night.

"Chose to wander the streets without telling your team, or bringing Myrentasterr?" Blake finished wryly, watching Weiss with intent amber eyes.

"I just didn't want to be alone!" Weiss snapped back, "Alright?"

Blake watched Weiss warily, watching the heiress deflate after the outburst, eyes tiredly falling to the ground.

"But anyway," Weiss said, blue eyes suddenly affixing on Blake, "What exactly are you doing here? You said that you were going to a bookstore didn't' you?"

Blake said, "I did."

Blake tapped the cover of her newly purchased novel with a smile.

"Ah"

They sat in silence for a moment, the two of them looking at the lights for a moment.

They really were beautiful tonight, the city of Vale had evidently gone all out, decorating the streets with glass baubles and dust powered lights that traced out shapes of famous hunters of old. Blake was even sure she spied the signature clock tower of Beacon traced out somewhere in gold and silver on the side of some building.

"It's nice," Weiss said finally, "To be able to look at these lights with someone else."

Blake looked over at her, a little startled.

"I guess I'm feeling a little… sentimental today," Weiss said with a laugh, eyes still firmly affixed on the display of lights above her.

"I don't think father ever had the time to go looking at the lights with me. And Winter just didn't care," Weiss cracked a smile at that.

In the multicolored lights, Weiss' scar was thrown into sharp contrast with her pale skin. Blake wondered, not for the first time, what sort of family would have caused such a scar on their daughter? And for it to have been done so long ago that the scar had melted almost seamlessly with the rest of her skin?

Pity wasn't an emotion she was used to, but this felt a little softer, a little kinder than that guilt inducing throb that took her heart at times.

"I don't really know what's wrong with me right now," Weiss laughed, seemingly in a cloud of her own misery.

Blake remained silent, keeping her amber eyes on Weiss even as the frozen mask cracked itself into a thousand pieces. She watched as each piece falling off one by one, like snowflakes falling from the heavens.

"Why me?" Blake asked finally, looking at Weiss.

Weiss shrugged, blue eyes finally sliding down to look at Blake, "It had to be you."

A single trembling finger gently ran over Blake's bow. Her ears twitched as the finger encountered the soft fur near the back.

"I looked twelve hours for you after all," Weiss said with a smile.

Blake sighed and leaned into the hand, not wanting to admit she enjoyed the feeling.

"I guess I can indulge you just for today," Blake said quietly.

* * *

Neo blinked carefully as she looked down at the peacefully sleeping blonde girl beneath her. She was interesting, galvanizing even. Yang simply exuded something wholly unique, something that everyone, even a heartless soul like her, was attracted to.

She watched bemusedly as Junior walked over, looking the slightest bit awkward as he tossed her a woolen blanket and gruffly told her to "wrap the blondie up before she gets cold".

She watched as a thug, one in a million from Torchwick's gang, deposited a small wallet next to the sleeping beauty. He muttered something about losing at an arm wrestling contest before quickly walking away.

An everyday person would look at the scene and shake their head in confusion, wondering at the utter absurdity of that sort of camaderie among criminals and their blonde pursuer. Neo knew better.

Yang was part of the delicate little world that existed somewhere between Cinder and the good hunters of Vale. It was that little world that certainly disobeyed the law, even relished at the action at times, but one that ultimately loved the life that they lived, loved it fiercely and protectively.

Whether Yang liked it or not, or even if she realized, she had been pulled unwillingly into that little world.

And in their world, they took care of their own.

Some would call it honor between thieves perhaps, but Neo would call it something like … brutal affection.

Neo watched as Yang gave a little snore before flopping over.

"Man, she really drank a lot today huh?"

The voice was a little surprising but not unexpected.

Neo watched as Ruby sighed and delicately removed her red cloak before tucking it under her head like a pillow.

"You're that girl right? The one that Yang fought that one time," Ruby asked.

Neo gave a slow nod.

Ruby watched her, silvery eyes far older than their years, before she shrugged and sat down next to her sister.

"I'll take her back to Beacon when she wakes up, you don't have to look after her," Ruby said, thanking Neo with a smile and a jaunty wave.

"Oh, here's your parasol by the way," Ruby said, handing Neo her trademark prop.

Neo smiled, a little deranged perhaps, but a genuine smile nonetheless.

 _Observant child,_ She thought before nodding and looking at the clock.

Roman would expect her soon.

Neo ran a hand through Yang's hair, an opportunity she would never have while the blonde was awake, and exited the club, only looking back once to see Ruby cheerily waving a hand in goodbye. Neo jauntily waved her parasol in response and left.

"The blond huh?"

Neo almost had a heart attack as she heard the words, jarring in the cold air as she exited the club. She turned to look at Roman who was gracefully reclined against the wall to Junior's club, puffing on a cigar as he stared into the night.

She waited for the expected words of condemnation, of disapproval, only to be surprised when none came.

"Next time say hi to Red for me will ya," Roman said, knowing that there most definitely would be a next time.

Neo shrugged, veiling her surprise.

"Kid's got too soft a heart to mix with rough types like us," Roman continued, still staring off into the night. He sighed and made one last puff on his cigar before stamping it out under his boot. The embers flared orange and red before dwindling into ash.

"We've got some more shipments to hit Neo," Roman said, walking out into the cold night.

Neo followed, mind committing to memory the seven digits Red had written on the sheet of paper slipped into her parasol. The little slip was quickly crumpled and slipped into a nearby trashcan.

Roman casually placed a hand on her shoulder guiding her neatly through a minefield of snow melt and puddles.

They paused for a moment at the edge of the town, watching the brilliant lights.

Roman's hand was still on her shoulder, warm in the bitter night.

* * *

Blake let out a yawn as she tiredly leaned against Weiss on the airship. They were on the way back from the city after the lights had shined one last glorious time, and the musicians had played their last song. Blake blearily remembered dancing with the white haired heiress, feeling the wind whistle through the air as they had spun and twirled in some formless dance of their own devising.

She remembered the children, watching with the glee and awe so endemic of youth. But most of all, she remembered Weiss, laughing even as they elegantly weaved circles around each other, dancing on glyphs engraved from shining white aura.

"Did you have fun?" Blake asked the heiress next to her.

"It was… entertaining," Weiss replied, still gazing at the lights from the windows of the airship.

Blake frowned. Was it wrong that she wanted Weiss to focus on her, and her alone? Blake shrugged and forcefully nuzzled Weiss in that way that felines did to express their affection, dragging the icy blue gaze away from the lights and instead onto the faunus in her lap.

"Would it be wrong for me to ask if we could do this again sometime?" Weiss asked instead, fingers twitching, as if they wanted to play with her ebon locks.

"Well you wouldn't be wrong to ask…" Blake teased lightly.

Weiss pouted.

"Fine, can we do this again sometime," Weiss asked exasperatedly.

"Of course," Blake answered, ears wiggling as she closed her eyes and breathed softly into the juncture between Weiss' neck and shoulder.

"Blake?" Weiss asked.

"Hmm?"

"Never mind" Weiss said, an unusual note in her voice.

Blake straightened in her chair, looking carefully at Weiss. The heiress adverted her gaze, eyes looking anywhere but at Blake, a pink flush running down the side of her neck.

They sat there in silence for a while.

The announcement came over the speakers that they had arrived at Beacon.

They rose to leave the airship, heels clicking against the tiles as they walked off the ramp and onto the familiar flagstones of Beacon.

They were silent as they walked the well trodden route to their dorm, silent even as they stood in front of their door, listening to the sounds of Ruby and Yang rough housing. Something felt necessary here, the words crawling in her throat, begging to be released as they stood in front of the door.

 _Coward,_ The words slipped through her mind like a stray gust of wind.

"Thank you," The words were almost too quiet to hear, just a whisper on the winter wind, before Weiss proceeded to open the dorm door.

Blake didn't respond, just grasped Weiss' slim fingers in hers and gave a soft squeeze, grateful that she understood.

Weiss smiled at her, that same smile that had her in wonder that very same day, and tugged her into the room.

* * *

 _Their love was the quiet kind, the one hidden behind white masks, and black silence, but it was still love._

 _It was the sort of love that needed only a hand._

 _Some sign to say, "I love you too."_


End file.
